INNOVATIONS

The newsletter for Technology Venture Development at the University of Utah

EDITIon | FAll 2012

u professor invents smart shoe Students help drive innovation New Center for Medical Innovation Calendar In Short

eNgAgemeNT

Real-time RehaB. Prof. Stacy Bamberg is developing a device to help amputees walk better.

StudentS help drive innovation

KaUFFMan FoUnDaTIon rEPorTS CoMMErCIaLIzaTIon EFForTS MorE SUCCESSFUL DUE To STUDEnTS
University commercialization efforts would not be as successful without the help of graduate and post-doctoral students, according to a recent study by the Kauffman Foundation. The study, which found that the success of university spinoffs rely on an overall university environment, used case studies from eight

u engineering profeSSor inventS Smart inSole

DEvICE MonITorS FooTSTEPS anD ProvIDES FEEDBaCK vIa CELLPhonE aPP
University of Utah professor Stacy Bamberg, of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is developing a smart insole, called the real-Time rehab system, through her startup company veristride. She is currently on sabbatical to develop the product, and the company recently received a $150,000 Small Business Innovation research grant and a $40,000 Technology Commercialization and Innovation grant from the state of Utah. In the last few years, we have published several papers on this technology. We are now working hard to get our product to people who need it the most, Bamberg says. The real-Time rehab system uses a custom gel insole with
See SMART inside w

FAculTy SpOTlIghT

major universities, including the University of Utah, to examine students roles in university startups and compared the functions and responsibilities of faculty, entrepreneurs and students in successfully moving university innovations to market. The study analyzed case studies from four primary pathways that lead to spinoff development. While the study found that most faculty consider a partnership with a qualified entrepreneur to be ideal, they have a hard time convincing the entrepreneur to join their venture when in its initial stages. To solve this problem, faculty members collaborate with Ph.D./post-doctoral students and business school students to grow the

U students can help commercialization through the Lassonde Center.

force sensors, accelerometers and gyroscopes to detect a persons gait, or walking pattern. The immediate application for this technology is for amputees who would like to reduce how much they limp when using prosthetic legs. The real-Time rehab system monitors footsteps and provides continuous feedback during every step. The software component of

See KAUFFMAN inside w

www.techventures.utah.edu

heAlTh ScIeNceS

new mediCal innovation Center

FaCULTy anD STUDEnTS aT ThE U InTErESTED In MEDICaL InvEnTIonS havE a nEW CEnTEr To GET aSSISTanCE anD aDvICE For CoMMErCIaLIzaTIon
University health Sciences recently created the Center for Medical Innovation (CMI) to develop medical device entrepreneurship education for faculty and students. The center is a joint effort between health Sciences, the College of Engineering, David Eccles School of Business and the Technology Commercialization office. It will be directed by Dr. John Langell, a surgery faculty member. Educational components include the successful Bench to Bedside program, which provides the opportunity for medical, engineering and business students to develop new or improved medical technologies.

eVeNTS & DeADlINeS

November
28 Distinguished Innovation and Impact award nomination deadline. admin.utah.edu/ academic_affairs/distinguishedinnovation-impact-award 29 naSa SBIr/STTr deadline. 1.usa.gov/PmlTaV

December
3 nSF SBIr (r2) deadline. 1.usa.gov/MU985x 5 hhS/nIh SBIr/ STTr deadline. grants. nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm 20 nSF STTr deadline. 1.usa.gov/TbFqKb 21 TCo Engine funding deadline. www. techventures.utah.edu/tco/enginefunding.php

Center for Medical Innovation serves entire campus.

For more information, call 801-587-7281.

KAUFFMAN
from cover
startup and attract more experienced assistance. The study also analyzed student-only ventures. according to the study, commercialization efforts at universities are also

supplemented by mentoring programs, business plan competitions, accelerator programs, entrepreneurship training and project-based classes that bring together interdisciplinary or MBa student teams to work on business plans allowing universi-

ties to serve as business incubators. Troy Dambrosio, director of the Pierre Lassonde Entrepreneur Center, the Us hub for student involvement in commercialization, said working with students is hard, but well worth it. Students

who participate have self-identified and have high levels of interest in the commercialization process, Dambrosio said. The individuals involved are highly motivated and interested in the educational experience. Get involved at www.lassonde.utah.edu.

January
3-4 TCo Engine committee meeting. www. techventures.utah.edu/tco/enginefunding.php 8 U of U Startup Conference. Call Tech Ventures at 801-587-3836 18 U of U opportunity Quest awards. www.ues. utah.edu/oq/

SMART
from cover
the real-Time rehab system is one if its biggest advantages. Bamberg and her colleagues created a smartphone application that wirelessly tracks data

from the insole and provides a variety of instantaneous feedback. Users or physical therapists can choose from visual, audio or sensory feedback. Several sensors are embedded in the insole of the real-Time rehab

system. The current prototype has two force-sensitive resistors for tracking pressure when the foot is on the ground. In addition, it has an inertial measurement unit, which includes an accelerometer and gyroscope for measur-

ing foot position and angle. The device can be customized to track most types of foot movement or pressure. Students in the Lassonde new venture Development Center assisted by writing a business plan.

22 Tech Tuesday. Call TCO at 801-581-7792 5, 12, 26 Utah FIrST LEGo League qualifiers and championship. www.utfll.utah.edu

February
15 TCo Engine funding deadline. www. techventures.utah.edu/tco/engine-

VIEWPOINT
from back
maturation, while the role of the business entrepreneur and students increased. In the fourth model, representing nearly 25 percent of the total,

no faculty entrepreneurs were involved. overall, graduate student entrepreneurs were essential in 83 percent of the spinoffs. Students are the driving force for entrepreneurism on campus; faculty

are often dragged along under protest. Entrepreneurism is really a young persons game, but can benefit from an experienced mentor.
1. FASEB, Engaging Basic Scientists in Translational Research.

Identifying Opportunities, Overcoming Obstacles. www.faseb. org (2012). 2. W.F. Boh, U. DeHaan, R. Strom, University technology transfer through student and faculty entrepreneurship: exploring effectuation process and institutional mechanisms. Academy of Management, Boston, MA (2012).

funding.php 19-20 Translational Medicine Symposium. Call Tech Ventures at 801-587-3836 28-March 1 TCo Engine committee meeting. www.techventures. utah.edu/tco/engine-funding.php

INNOVATIONS
FuNDINg & DONATIONS

tCo addS funding program, donor fund

TEChnoLoGy CoMMErCIaLIzaTIon oFFICE STrEaMLInES FUnDInG rEQUESTS anD WELCoMES DonaTIonS
development. as part of this effort, TCo launched the Engine Funding Program, which replaces the Technology Commercialization Program (TCP), the virtual Incubator Project (vIP) and Micro Grants. The Engine Funding Program is aligned with TCos new process called the Engine, which is a three-stage, flexible framework for developing and executing commercialization plans. The initial stage (two-stroke) is a discovery stage. The second stage (four-cylinder) is focused on de-risking. The third stage (v8) executes the business model.
Learn more at www.tco.utah.edu/engine-funding.php

Crimson Innovation Fund. The fund is designed to give longterm benefits to the U, its faculty and students, local communities and the public. To fulfill this purpose, TCos executive director has discretion to allocate funds to help TCo fulfill its mission.
Learn more at www.tco.utah.edu/sponsorships.php

engine Funding program

The Technology Commercialization office (TCo) recently streamlined its funding request process to make it more simple and to accelerate technology

gateway crimson Innovation Fund

TCo invites individuals and companies to participate in commercialization by making a financial contribution to the Gateway

Lassonde Entrepreneur Center helps boost Us Business School ranking by Entrepreneur Magazine

15

th

GraDUaTE ProGraM For EnTrEPrEnEUrShIP

17

th

UnDErGraDUaTE ProGraM For EnTrEPrEnEUrShIP

in Short
VIDeO gAmeS cAN beNeFIT heAlTh
U faculty and researchers have authored a paper suggesting that therapeutic video games show promise in effecting specific healthrelated behavioral changes and self-management of obesity, neurological disorders, cancer or asthma. Read more at bit.ly/PWgiGr

AXON, TecpOrT OpTIcS JOIN TO FIghT mIgrAINeS

U startup axon optics has partnered with Tecport optics to develop a filter coating process for glasses lenses that block specific wavelengths of light that are suspected of triggering migraine headaches and other photophobic symptoms. Read more at bit.ly/VdhCmS

NAVIgeN D-pepTIDe WINS SbIr grANT

navigen Inc., a U startup, was recently awarded a $300,000 SBIr grant from the Department of health and human Services. The award is for the development of a potent and novel inhibitor of hIv entry that could provide hIv/aIDS patients with a safe and effective new therapeutic option.

IDAhO TechNOlOgy becOmeS bIOFIre

Successful U startup Idaho Technology has changed its name to BioFire to more accurately reflect its business strategy and momentum in the marketplace. Learn more at www. biofiredx.com

FIrST legO leAgue SeeKS VOluNTeerS

Utah FIrST LEGo League, which is headquartered at Technology venture Devlopment at the U, is seeking volunteers for qualifier and championship events. Volunteer at www.utfll.utah.edu/ volunteer.php

XANDem releASeS FIrST prODucT

U startup Xandem is offering the ability to see through walls and obstuctures with the release of its first product, new synergistic sensing technology in productionready kits. The kits, which employ Tomographic Motion Detection (TMD), provide unique security solutions. Read more at www.xandem. com/press-release-tmd-production-ready

bIO TIme, JADe pArTNer TO help heAl eye leSIONS

Two U startup companies have partnered to develop pharmaceutical products for ophthalmological use. Bio Time and Jade Therapeutics signed an agreement to start developing the hyStem sustained-release drug delivery platform developed by Bio Time. Jade plans to use the hyStem platform to enable time-release delivery of human growth hormone to help heal lesions on the surface of the eye.

Tech VeNTureS ANNuAl repOrT

The Tech ventures 2012 annual report is available online and for download. Go to www.techventures.utah.edu/news/ publications/

OmIcIA WINS beST prAcTIceS AWArD

The U, in partnership with omicia, won the Bio-It World Best Practices award in recognition of its new probabilistic search tool for identifying damaged genes and their disease causing variants. The award recognizes outstanding innovations and business strategies in biomedical research. Read more at bit.ly/VlYoB5

cATheTer cONNecTIONS, merIT meDIcAl pArTNer

U startup Catheter Connections has entered an agreement with Merit Medical Systems for exclusive distribution of technology for Iv connector disinfection and protection. The company can receive up to $1 million in up-front payments and additional revenue from product sales. Learn more at www.catheterconnections.com

WATch Our VIDeOS

Watch Tech ventures videos about commercialization and entrepreneurship on youTube. Go to www.youtube.com/ utahtechventures

INNOVATIONS
The newsletter for Technology Venture Development at the University of Utah
TechNOlOgy VeNTure DeVelOpmeNT UnIvErSITy oF UTah 105 Fort Douglas Blvd., Bldg. 604 Salt Lake City, UT 84113

VIeWpOINT

Building a Culture of impaCt at the u

By Glenn Prestwich, Ph.D.
U of Utah Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Founder of Entrepreneurial Faculty Scholars

The University of Utah is a leader in this cultural change. Through its unique and pioneering program, the Entrepreneurial Faculty Scholars bring together over 90 faculty entrepreneurs who are engaged in legitimate and important scholarly activities. Through translational teaching, translational research and translational service, these faculty seek to have a positive impact on the lives of other people. Just who are the academic entrepreneurs on campus? They are the students and faculty who seek to identify and solve real world problems by translating basic science into applied technologies. They realize that to have impact, they must understand the business of science

and to place market pull above technology push. By participating in translational research, basic scientists felt the satisfaction and inspiration that come from working to translate discoveries into treatments and diagnostics for human diseases. Importantly, their involvement in clinical applications led to deeper insights into the relevant biological mechanisms they were investigating, led to novel research ideas, enabled them to bring new research methods into their laboratories, and improved the opportunity to publish. 1 Students at the U can participate in

a variety of entrepreneur-focused programs. They work as part of interdisciplinary teams, and annual participation exceeds 2,700 students over 8 percent of our undergraduate and graduate student body. Utahs Entrepreneurial Faculty

There is an evolutionary some might say a revolutionary change occurring at universities. In the traditional ivory tower model, if you get grant funding, publish in top journals and win awards, then your faculty colleagues will respect you. In the evolving model, if your scholarship has a positive impact on the lives of other people, you will earn their respect. The key to this culture change is the students and their insatiable desire to do well by doing good; students want to have an impact, and to succeed, they know they must try something completely different.

Glenn Prestwich

Scholar group comprises over 90 faculty entre-

preneurs, or a ratio of 30 student entrepreneurs per faculty mentor. The Kaufmann Foundation identified four models for how faculty and student spin-offs originated.2 In three models, the role of the faculty member decreased with company

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Technology Venture Development www.techventures.utah.edu 801-587-3836

Technology Commercialization Office www.tco.utah.edu 801-581-7792

Pierre Lassonde Entrepreneur Center www.lassonde.utah.edu 801-585-3844